Have you ever watched a big-budget Hollywood movie and wondered "How did they do that?" or, perhaps, "How can I do that?" While digital technology greatly simplifies the filmmaking process, there are many tried-and-true production tricks that only those lucky enough to work in the world of high-budget professional film production get to know. The truth is that setting up a car chase, making a realistic-looking alien, staging a fistfight, creating atmospheric lighting, and using special effects are often not as difficult to master as you might think.

Digital Video Production Cookbook will show you how to create sophisticated-looking visual effects, dramatic shots, and powerful sequences using low-cost methods adapted from high-end professional techniques. Author and award-winning filmmaker Chris Kenworthy explains how you can use a digital video camera and basic editing software, to create high-end production values with household equipment and a little imagination.

The book includes easy-to-follow recipes for:

Creating bluescreen effects

Simulating rain, snow, and other natural phenomena

Working with backlighting, simulated candlelight, and special lighting effects

Shooting day for night

Staging safe stunts, chase scenes, and fistfights

Makeup techniques for aging, bruises, and serious injuries

Shooting at night

Working with camera movement

Adding special effects such as laser bolts, holograms, and explosions

and much more.

Packed with full-color, step-by-step instructions, inspirational examples, and authoritative information and advice, this book is the ultimate, no-nonsense cookbook for every aspiring digital filmmaker.

Chris Kenworthy

Chris Kenworthy has written, produced and directed several hours of drama and comedy, along with many hours of commercial video, TV pilots, music videos, experimental projects and short films. He's also produced and directed over 300 visual FX shots.

In 2006 Chris directed the web-based Australian UFO Wave, which attracted many millions of viewers. His short film, Some Dreams Come True, spent a year on the international festival circuit and won a few awards. As a screenwriter he has contributed to the development of several TV shows.

Chris was born in the North of England, but has lived in Australia for over a decade. He is married with two daughters.

I have found the cookbook to be very concise, comprehensive and useful for beginning and even more advanced production students. It is troubling that they promise downloadable files and many are complaining they don't exist but even still I would recommend the book.

Hey Chris! Are you out there man?! Would you PLEASE post some stock footage or photos or examples or something that would help all of us beginners/upstarts/troublemakers accomplish some of your great ideas? Thanks! Russ (again)

This is a great book and an excellent addition for your VFX library. But as with other O'Reilly books, O'Reilly did not follow through and supply any examples or support footage. I really feel ripped off when in the book O'Reilly states, "Downloadable image files of the examples in this book can be found online at..." and they give this book's website address. But there's nothing posted here! And as another reviewer stated, it would be very helpful to see actual "behind-the-scenes" footage of how you should shoot some of these ideas. Or even better, give us some free stock footage to work with, or some free photos or something! But don't promise "downloadables" and then give us nothing!